Again, Ohaneze Refuses To Endorse Jonathan’s Second Term Ambition

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News From The State, Nigeria 2015 Election Sunday, January 4th, 2015

FROM IGNATIUS OKPARA, Enugu – For the second time, the apex Igbo socio cultural body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, on Saturday rejected a motion to endorse President Goodluck Jonathan, as the consensus candidate of southeast for the February presidential election.

Even when the endorsement of Jonathan was not part of the agenda for the meeting, a chieftain of the peoples Democratic party, PDP Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, had moved the motion midway into the meeting, urging Ohanaeze, to adopt Jonathan as its sole presidential candidate in the forthcoming election.

Iwuanyanwu, who is a member of PDP Board of Trustees BOT, had informed

the meeting that he came with a message from 90 percent of Igbos who were supporting the re-election of President Jonathan for a second term.

He further requested them to give him an answer so as to enable him report back to those who sent him the errand.

The motion however, caused an uproar in the (Imeobi), meaning caucus meeting as majority of members kicked against it vehemently, forcing Presidential General of Ohaneze, Gary Igariwe to adjourn the meeting abruptly.

African Examiner reports that following the rejection of the motion, the ageing and controversial Iwuanyanwu, tactically sneaked out of the meeting hall and jumped into his waiting car and left the Ohanaeze Secretariat disappointed.

The meeting ended abruptly amidst a shouting match between Ichie Austin Anazodo, Mr Osita Okechukwu, and host of others against and those in support of the motion for the endorsement of the President.

Our Correspondent recalled that on November 9th, 2014 same motion by Iwuanyanwu, suffered same fate during the Ohaneze caucus meeting.

The contention of those opposed to the motion which Chief Iwuanyawu eloquently narrated was to enhance the unity of Ndigbo and their brothers in the old Eastern region, is because the political terrain in 2015 is miles different from the scenario in 2011 when Jonathan was endorsed.

Those opposed to the motion are saying that it will be suicidal for Igbo race to endorse one candidate at the expense of the other, especially when Mr President failed in the major promises he made to Ndigbo and by extension to Nigerians.

Publicity secretary of APC in south east, Mr Osita Okechukwu, in remarks said, ‘I concur with the Adoration Ground sermon of Fr. Ejike Mbaka that Jonathan has ruled for six years, that we need a change.

“The power sector has not worked because of corruption, the privatization of public companies has not yielded any fruit because of corruption. Jonathan has surrounded himself with very corrupt officers.”